Nunavut government likes Baffinland iron mine project approval

"Of great importance to the future of Nunavut"

NUNATSIAQ NEWS

The Dec. 3 approval of the Baffinland Iron Mines Corp.’s Mary River iron mine project by the Government of Canada got a thumbs-up from Nunavut Premier Eva Aariak and Peter Taptuna, Nunavut’s minister responsible for mines.

“The Mary River project is of great importance to the future of Nunavut,” Aariak said. “Our government believes that this project will be an important step toward the creation of a sustainable mining industry that minimizes impact to the environment and benefits all Nunavummiut.”

The project, which now moves into the final project certificate stage, has a current projected lifespan of 21 years.

Baffinland plans to mine 18 million tonnes of iron ore per year and build a road, railway, deep-water port and other mine-site infrastructure on northern Baffin Island, southwest of Pond Inlet.

The mine will mean more than 1,000 jobs per year when it’s in operation, up to 900 more indirect jobs in the service sector and and some 600 to 700 jobs in the government sector, because people will have more money to spend— and pay more money in taxes.

“This project has the potential to change the lives of many Nunavummiut,” Taptuna said. “We want this change to be positive, providing meaningful careers and a steady income for Nunavummiut. The Government of Nunavut will continue to work with the Nunavut Impact Review Board and other stakeholders during the regulatory stage.”